during the performance soon after the victory of the North. In
honor of this great man a beautiful memorial has been built in
Washington, D. C.
George Washington led the American Army to victory in the War
for Independence. Later he was elected President of the United
States and was in office for 8 years (1789 –1797). The national
capital of the United States, a state and several towns are
named after George Washington. In addition to commemorating the
birth of the US’s first President, it’s a great day for
shoppers. The department stores of Washington, D. C., started a
national tradition of sales marked by unusual bargains. The US
Congress observes the birthday of G. Washington with speeches and
reading from his works.
ST PATRIC’S DAY
It’s a
great day for the Shamrock,
For the
flags in full array,
We’re
feeling so inspirish,
Sure
because for all the Irish
It’s a
great, great day!
On March 17th, Americans celebrate an Irish religious holiday,
St Patrick’s Day. It is a day to remember the Irish people in
the United States and Ireland. Ireland is a country with a lot
of green grass and shamrocks. Shamrock are small plants with
three leaves. There is a lot of green in Ireland, so green is
Ireland’s national color.
People often wear green clothes on St Patrick’s Day. There
are parades in many cities with large Irish population, but the
largest parade is in New York. Many people go to parties. They
sing, dance, and eat Irish food. Some drink green beer.
St Patrick was a priest in Ireland many years ago. He taught
the Irish people about God. St Patrick died on March 17th in
the year 461.
Beginning in 1845, many Irish people moved to the United
States. They came because there wasn’t enough food to eat in
Ireland. St Patrick’s Day celebrations helped the Irish remember
their country, their music and their families. Many Americans say,
“Everyone is Irish on St Patrick’s Day.”
APRIL FOOL’S DAY
The first of
April, some do say,
It set apart
for All Fool’s Day.
But why the
people call it so,
Nor I, nor
they themselves do know.
But on this
day are people sent
On purpose
for pure merriment.
April Fool’s Day is celebrated on April 1st. It is the day
for harmless tricks and good laughs. The origin of April Fool’s
Day or All Fool’s Day goes back to the dilemma faced by many
Europeans in 1562 when Pope Gregory introduced a new calendar,
one which shifted the start of new year from its traditionally
warm nesting place of April 1st to the cold and dreary date of
January 1st.
Today in the United States both children and adults play
small tricks on each others. If the trickster is still around he
or she may take credit for his deed by shouting “April Fool !”
but probably not before you’ve spoiled your cup of morning coffee
or tea. If you are innocent victim of such mischief, your first
reaction may be to “wring the scoundrel’s neck.”
American author and satirist Mark Twain summed up the nature
of the holiday thus: “The first of April is the day we remember
what we are the other 364 days of the year.”
EARTH DAY
The earth
is a garden.
It’s a
beautiful place.
For all
living creatures,
For all
the human race
April 22 is a special day around the world. On that day
inhabitants of Earth celebrate Earth Day. Earth Day is a time
when many people show that they care for our fragile planet.
They show concern about the threats the planet faces – destruction
of the rain forest, holes in the ozone layer, the greenhouse
effect, too much garbage, and all forms of air and water
pollution. It is a day for people to learn what they can do to
preserve the planet Earth.
The first Earth Day was held in the U.S. twenty two years
ago, in April 1970. At that time, Americans were just beginning
to learn about the problems facing the planet.
TAKE YOUR DAUGHTER TO WORK DAY
This holiday is celebrated on April 28th. Schools are closed
this day and girls go to work to their mothers. It is very
important holiday, because girls know that can become anything
they want when they grow up. If the mothers don’t work the
girls stayed at home and mothers teach them to cook, to work at
home and to hold the house.
EASTER
Easter is a Christian religious holiday. Ibis memory of
Resurrection of Jesus Christ. It falls on the first Sunday after
the first full moon between March, 22, and April, 25. The 40
days before Easter are called Lent. Just before Easter, schools
and colleges usually close. The students have a week or ten days
of spring holidays.
Easter is a church holiday, and many churches have an outdoor
sunrise service. On the night before Easter, an imaginary
creature known as the Easter Bunny comes to visit children and
leaves a basket filled with candy in the shape of eggs, bunnies
and baby chicks. Another tradition is painting hard – boiled eggs
different colors and designs on them. It is common to hide these
eggs, as well as candy eggs, for children to look for an
Easter Sunday as part of an Easter egg hunt.
MAY DAY
It’s May! It’s May!
The lusty month of May,
That lovely month when
everyone goes
Blissfully astray !
The roots of the May Day celebration go back to very ancient
time and are evident in many civilizations, where basically the
idea was to express gratitude to the gods for the renewal of
spring. May Day was not widely celebrated in the United States
during its early years, because the Puritans disapproved of
frivolous festivities.
Some American parents and teachers use this holiday as a
chance to encourage their children and students to bring some
surprise and joy into the life of the lonely or aged. They make
May baskets filled with flowers and candy and hang them on
doorknobs throughout their neighborhoods, sometimes ringing the
bell, hiding, and watching smiles replace frowns and unexpected
joy light up the wrinkled faces of their neighbors.
MOTHER’S DAY
“M” is for the
million things she gave me.
“O” means only that
she’s growing old.
“T” is for the tears
she shed to save me.
“H” is for her heart
of purest gold.
“E” is for her eyes,
with lovelights shining.
“R” means right
she’ll always
Put them all together;
they spell “mother”,
A word that means the
world to me.
In the United States Americans honor their mothers and
grandmothers, on the second Sunday in May. This day is set aside
to show love and respect for mother. On Mother’s Day children
give thanks for the support, love, care, and guidance. Giving
cards and gifts is also tradition. Children often make Mother’s
Day gifts in school. Pin cushions, sachets, tie clasps, decorated
boxes and picture frames, recipe holders, and plaster – cast hand
